A Survivor's Story
by DigiNyxx
Summary: A woman narrates her tale of survival when the world is invaded by the destructive tripods. Set in the Spielberg movieverse.
1. Chapter 1

A note from the author: I wrote this story several years ago and originally posted it on here under a different name. I took it down after I decided to stop writing fan fiction, but I've had several people asking if they could read it again, so here it is.

I was inspired to write this after seeing the Spielberg/Cruise movie, and the story you're about to read is set in that universe. I've always been a big fan of the book and am happy to credit H.G. Wells as the inspiration behind not only this story, but for some of my original creative writing.

* * *

**A Survivor's Story**

**Day One**

Everyone in the world knows where they were and what they were doing that first night when the invaders arrived. I was in a pub that night. I can recall every detail of the whole thing, despite being a little on the inebriated side. The things I saw sobered me instantly, and all I could think about was getting away; getting to my husband.

It was a Friday night, and the end of another week of work. Despite warnings on the news of a bad storm brewing I was determined to go out and enjoy myself. My husband had opted to stay at home. He said he tired and would prefer to play video games in the warm house than be drunk and freezing cold whilst waiting in a taxi queue. I didn't mind that he wasn't coming. I never did. Just because we were married didn't mean that we were joined at the hip. I kissed him goodbye and promised that I wouldn't be home too late. I never kept that promise.

I took the train into the city, watching buildings, countryside and clouds go by. The sky had darkened slightly, the clouds turning greenish. I took this as a hint of the oncoming storm and wished that I'd brought a jacket. It was too late to worry about it at that time, but at least I'd opted to wear warm, comfortable clothes that night. I'm still thankful that I had not made plans to go to a nightclub. A skirt and high heels would have been my downfall.

I met up with a couple of friends at the pub and started drinking, talking and laughing with them. We were so carefree, and blissfully ignorant of the events that were about to unfold in the city centre. A few people who had entered the pub after myself mentioned that the sky had gone a very odd shade of green and the wind was blowing quite harshly and, oddly enough, towards the storm rather than away. A few people went outside to have a look. My friends and I cared little. We were too busy having fun and, at this point, I was starting to feel tipsy.

The first crash of lightning got our attention. The lights in the pub went out and the jukebox ceased to play. A man who had been outside told us that lightning had struck a few streets away. Feeling curious, my friends and I decided to take a peek outside. We made it outside just in time to see the lightning strike again. We could see it reaching down from the sky and hitting the same spot over and over again. Twenty-three strikes we counted.

"That was weird," one of my friends said. "Lightning isn't supposed to strike the same place twice. I'd say that was a little more than twice."

"It isn't," I said, slurring slightly "but at least we got a pretty light show!"

Someone from the pub who had joined us outside pointed out to us that all the cars on the road that just stopped suddenly. "They just stopped at exactly the same time," he said. He was right, and this not only confused me, but worried me too. I decided that I would call my husband once we got back inside the pub. The jukebox and the lights were still off inside as we re-entered. It had grown rather dark suddenly too.

I found a seat and pulled out my mobile phone and was about to hit the speed dial for home, when I realised that the phone was turned off. At first I thought it was odd because I never switch my phone off, and it couldn't be the battery as I had charged it the night before. I pressed the "on" switch. Nothing happened. I pressed it again. Still nothing. I wasn't the only one who was having problems. Everybody who had a mobile phone couldn't seem to switch theirs on either.

"What the hell is going on?" I asked my friends. They shrugged, It was a silly question to ask really. None of us could have possibly known that this electrical storm was not only transporting the invaders down to our planet, but also simultaneously wiping out every electrical and mechanical appliance within a few miles.

At this point I started worrying in a bad way. My mobile was broken so I couldn't call home, all vehicles had simultaneously stopped in the street for no apparent reason and there was a sense of foreboding in the air, like something bad was about to happen. The bar manager rallied the patrons around the bar; urging everyone to keep calm and that everyone would get a free drink (but it would have to be spirits as the pumps were off due to the power cut). Not one to say no to a free drink, I ordered three double rum and cokes and sat down with my friends again.

We were about halfway through our free drink when a man ran into the pub. He looked shaken and was covered head to foot in what looked like a fine white powder,

"Run," he shouted, agitated "Everybody run for your lives! It's coming!" We looked at the man as if he were mad. "Run for your lives!" he repeated, the urgency in his voice was disturbing. He was half in, half out of the door and looked like he was preparing to run for it himself. I stood with the intention of seeing for myself what was going on when I heard an almighty crash, followed by a sound that I had never heard before or will ever forget. There was another crash and the whole pub shook. People in the pub began to scream and there were more crashes sounding like they were getting closer and closer. My friends and I decided unanimously that it was time to leave, so we ran to the door and almost got caught in the bottleneck of people who were also trying to escape.

We stumbled out into the street and were met by pandemonium. People – men, women, and children – were running away from something. From the sky fell rags of clothing, and some of the people who ran were covered in a white powder of sorts. My friends and I stood confused, wondering what was going on. At first I thought terrorists were attacking us. The crashing sounds and the terrifying sound that followed got closer and close. Then we saw it.

The machine, that had caused so much carnage and chaos in a matter of minutes, loomed menacingly over the street. It was taller than most of the buildings and looked like it had come from another world. It walked nimbly on three legs and snake-like tentacles stretched out from the base of the machine and writhed, knocking over walls, cars and people.

My instinct told me to run, so that's what I did. I ran blindly, getting separated from my friends. I never saw them again after that night and I still don't know if they survived.

I ran down the street, not daring to look back, my breath coming in raged gasps. I was tired and my lungs burned, but the adrenaline kick in, making my legs move faster than I never realised that they ever could. Behind me there were more crashes, as cars and tarmac and buildings were ripped apart in the wake of the machine. I knew that people were dying. I could hear their screams being silenced by something with a bright red light and an intense heat. I screamed myself when a man in front of me suddenly vanished in a blaze of light and heat, exploding into a fine white powder. I was almost sick as I ran through the ashes. The realisation dawned on me then that the man who had barged into the pub was covered in the ashes of human beings. People were being cremated alive by this Tripod machine.

I kept running. Time seemed to stand still whilst I was in the presence of the machine. There were a few moments when I thought I was done for as the deadly heat ray struck a yard or so away from me.

It then I noticed the entrance to the subway system. My instincts told me that if I went underground I would be safe, if only for a short time. I dodged in and out of the way of running people, trying not to let the destruction going on around me distract me. I wasn't the only person who had thought of going underground. Masses of people were pushing each other to get down the stairs. Surges of people were pushing and shoving and trampling and crushing their way into the station, and I found myself at the back of it all. I knew that I would never get inside in time, so I decided to take a chance and head towards the other entrance of the station. It was just around the corner, and I was counting on it not being as packed. I began to run down the street, just as the machine made its appearance near the station entrance that was packed with people. I didn't see what happened. I just heard the screams, followed by the horrific sound of an unearthly weapon firing. I learned later that every person who had crowded on the stairs down into station was massacred. If I had decided to stay put, I would have been one of them.

I rounded the corner and, to my relief, discovered that significantly less people were trying to get into the station. There was no crush or pushing, just people running down the stairs. The joined them, running as fast as I could. The station was dark due to the power cut, but the emergency lights glowed a ghostly white. A train that had pulled into the station at the time of the power outage stood waiting at the platform. People who had run into the station crowded onto it, and I joined them, although I knew that we would not be going there. It was safe for the time being.

Everyone was confused and scared. A young child standing near to me had wet himself, dark patch of urine staining the front of his trousers. His mother was clearly hysterical, but trying to be strong for her child. A pair of teenagers, whom I assumed were a couple, held each other and cried. A man ran up and down the train calling for someone called "Helen." When he got no answer, he slumped down onto the floor and began to weep. All this and more was going on around me. The sound of human suffering drew me back into reality. Ever since I had sighted the Tripod, I felt as if I were caught in a dream brought on by a drunken stupor; a dream I was desperately trying to wake from.

I had to call my husband. I needed to know he was OK. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone and was about to dial when I remembered … my phone was broken. Downhearted and starting to feel slightly hysterical, I threw the phone to the ground and kicked it hard out of the train car. I fell down into the gap between the train and the platform with a breaking crack.

"Electromagnetic pulse," said someone. I spun round to face a middle-aged man leaning against the far closed door.

"Excuse me?" I said.

"Electromagnetic pulse," he repeated, "That's what that lightning was. It's taken out everything. Cars, buses, mobile phones … you name it."

"Why would they do that?" I asked. It was a bit of dumb question really; one I could have easily answered myself.

"To make us helpless and vulnerable of course. Without transport, communications and power, we're helpless," said the man. "Pretty good plan if you ask me."

"What are those things? Are they terrorists?" I asked. This man seemed to know a lot and I was hungry to find out what was going on. I noticed that I wasn't the only one who was listening in. The entire car had gone silent.

"They're terrorists all right, just not the type we're used to," he said cryptically.

"Meaning?" asked the woman standing to the right of him.

"They're not from this planet. They're aliens," he said. His voice was gravely serious and his expression held no signs of playfulness.

Aliens? Had I heard him right? At first I shook off that notion. Seriously though, aliens? This was an alien invasion. Puh-lease! Some of the other people obviously felt as I did. Some were laughing and some were telling him to shut up.

"You can scoff all you want," he continued, "but answer me this: has anyone ever seen technology like that before? I've never seen any army in the world with artillery such as that. Have any of you? That technology is beyond our comprehension. That machine ploughed through our city streets with ease, and cremated people alive as they ran away from it. These are alien beings and they've made it clear that they want this planet."

"Oh come on," shouted another man from down the car. "How can you possibly know that?"

"Why have they been killing everything that moves with that weapon of theirs then?" he argued. The car went eerily silent. He was right and we knew it. We were just in denial.

Aliens had come to our planet to invade and it seemed that there wasn't anything we could do to stop them.

I needed to get out of the car. It was getting to stuffy inside and my mind was swimming. I wasn't feeling drunk anymore. What I had seen and what I had heard had sobered me up completely. As I paced the platform, I rubbed my temples trying to prevent a tension headache from coming on. Trying to comprehend all of what had happened was a lot to digest, considering that only hours earlier I was happy in the knowledge that man was alone in the universe.

I walked towards the nearest wall and slid down it, tears streaming down my face. I buried my face in my hands and wept. I wept for Katrina and Scott. I wept for the devastation I'd seen, and I wept for the loss of Earth's innocence. The planet was being violated and there seemed to be nothing that could be done about it.

My thoughts went to my husband, my family and my friends. At that point I doubted that I would ever see them again. I buried my head in my hands and wept silently.

I must have sat in that position for along time. It may have been half an hour; it may have been several hours. I honestly don't know. Time had seemingly stood still. I was grieving and I wanted nothing more than to be left alone with it. The world had changed in a matter of minutes and the future was uncertain. I was brought back to reality by a loud and violent crash coming from the stair well leading down to the station. A few people had come out of the train cars to see what was happening. I peeped round the corner and saw what looked like several black tentacles creeping down the stairs and towards the platform. My heart leaped into my throat and my stomach began to tie itself in knots. They were the tentacles of the Tripod and they were investigating the station. Probably looking for more people to kill.

I flattened myself against the wall. I didn't want to see anymore. I wanted to run, but I stood frozen against the wall. Many people for the train moved closer to the tentacles as they approached the platform, their curiosity getting the better of them. This proved to be a fatal mistake.

It happened to so quickly. One minute the tentacles were "feeling around", the next they were grabbing people and dragging them out of the station. I was still frozen against the wall and almost screamed when a tentacle brushed against my leg. That was the final straw. As the people started to panic and try to force shut the doors of the train, I saw my only escape route: the train tracks. To my left the platform lead onto the "no access" zone of the station. The only thing blocking my escape route was a simple barrier with "no trespassing. Penalty: £200" written in bold white text on a red background. I doubted the penalty would be enforced in a situation such as this, so I ran for it. It wasn't too far away.

A few people followed me including the teenaged couple from the train. I ran along the remainder of the platform that lay behind the barrier and jumped on the tracks. It was pitch black, but that was to be expected. I had no fear of being run over by a train, as I knew that none would be running because of the power outtage. In the darkness I began running, being mindful of the tracks below me and trying not to trip over. The people following me kept up the pace with me as we headed through the tunnel to safety.

Behind us, I could the screams and the cries of the people still on the train and in the station. I tried to shut it out of my mind as I knew I couldn't go back and help them.

It was when we were a fair distance away that the entire tunnel was lit up by an explosion. Instantly the group stopped and we turned to look. The Tripod had destroyed the train. In the distance we could see the carriages burning brightly and the tunnel echoed with the noise. We were far enough away to avoid the debris of the explosion, but we could feel the heat of the fire flowing up the tunnel, trying to escape.

That was the second time that day that I had escaped certain death. Again I tried not to think about the people who may still have been on board.

It took all of us several minutes to realise that we had to keep moving.

I don't know how long we walked for. It took us a little while to reach the end of the tunnel. I could tell we were approaching it as I could feel a gentle breeze ahead of us. It was night when the little group and I stepped out. It was then that I realised which way we had come. We had headed south towards the railway bridge. It was advantageous to me, as I wanted to go south. Going south meant the possibility of finding my husband.

The little group and myself lingered at the opening of the tunnel, not wanting to go to far out onto the bridge in case of danger. The cool air felt heavenly after the dark, dankness of the tunnel. I peered over to the other side of the bridge. It looked so easy just to walk across, but I didn't want to risk it, not with the possibility of the Tripod being out there. At that point I had no doubt in my mind that there was probably more of them. If it was invasion, they couldn't very well do it with just one (although one machine seemed to be enough considering the destruction I had seen). The problem was that we would be exposed as we crossed the bridge. We could probably make it if we ran and kept low, but as I looked to the group, everyone was clearly exhausted from the escape from the train station.

A man from the group, about my age, came up to me. "Are we going to cross this bridge?" he asked. The rest of the group looked to me with a questioning look in their eyes.

"Yes, what are we going to do?" asked the teenaged boy. Inwardly I sighed in disbelief. It appeared that I had been elected to be their leader. I didn't ask for it, and I'm not what you would call leadership material. One wrong move and we would all be dead and I didn't like having that responsibility on my head. I'd rather look after myself rather than a group of people. Still, I thought that I could at least to let them know what I was thinking.

"We can't go back into the tunnel. This is the only way we can go," I explained to him. "If we keep low and don't draw attention to ourselves then I think we'll be all right.

"What about that thing?" the teenaged boy asked. He was holding his girlfriend close as she quietly sobbed.

"I don't think it's alone," I said. I saw no point in sugar coating things. This seemed to slightly panic the group, but I told them to hush and continued. "We are in danger here. There's no point in tiptoeing around it," I told them. "If we're going to survive, we need to know exactly how much danger we are in so we are prepared for the worst. I don't claim to know exactly what's going on, but the most important thing now is staying alive." My little speech was met with murmurs of agreement and nodding heads. "Right, I'm going to have a quick peek out to see if the coast is clear. If it is, I'll wave you all over and we'll run as fast as we can across. Try to keep low as you run, so we're keeping as out of sight as possible." I'd seen soldiers do something similar in movies. It couldn't hurt to try it. It wasn't like anyone else was coming up with any other bright ideas.

I stepped out of the tunnel onto the bridge and walked a little way forward. The sun had set, so night had fallen. It was to be expected. It was dusk when I had left home. At the time I found it hard to believe that I'd only left only a couple of hours earlier. It had seemed like days.

As I looked around me, I noticed that the sky was lit up with reds, oranges and yellows – fire. Behind us the city was burning. Flashes of the heat ray created highlights in the coloured sky, making that truth all the more real. I could hear the cries of the terrified masses, the horrifying fizz that followed the firing of the heat ray, and that awful cry of elation that cam from the machine. There were multiple cries, so I knew I was right; there was more than one.

I looked around. I could only see darkness up ahead. Our only light would be the burning light of the city. At least we only had to run in a straight line. I could see the tunnel at the other side of the bridge. It was our goal. Once inside, we'd follow the tunnel out to safety. I wasn't naïve enough to think that we would be safe once we got across the water, but it was a start.

The sounds seemed far behind us, so after another quick check around, I signalled from the group to follow. I ducked as low as I could go, almost kneeling on the ground. The group mimicked me, ducking low too. When they had caught up to me, I spoke to them in a whisper:

"Keep low, stay together and don't look back. The tunnel is straight ahead. If we are determined to make it, we will."

This seemed to give them the motivation they needed. I began to run across the bridge, keeping on the look out for potential dangers. I knew I should have asked someone at the back to keep a lookout, but I didn't want to speak mid-flight lest I make our whereabouts known. I wish now that I had.

We were half way across the bridge when I heard the cry of a machine. It was close by, very close. I stopped and looked around, urging the group to keep going as they began to stop too. "Keep going!" I hissed at them.

I saw a Tripod heading towards us. It was wading up the river towards the bridge; it's bright searchlights scanning the river and the quayside. I started to move again when suddenly a searchlight focused on me. I broke into a sprint and shouted to the others to run for it. Keeping low didn't matter anymore. We had been seen – or rather I had been seen.

The heat ray flashed, missing me, but hitting part of the bridge. The metal disintegrated and the bridge gave an almighty creak. I kept on running, thinking only of getting to the tunnel. Most of the group were almost at the tunnel. I hoped that they would just keep running for I had no doubt in my mind that the machine would try to fire the heat ray into the tunnel. A little distance might make all the distance. At that point, I felt that my luck had run out. I'd escaped certain death twice and Lady Luck had only so many favours to give.

As the heat ray fired and hit the bridge again, the bridge beginning to give way. I kept telling myself I was going to make. I started chanting at myself, "I'm going to make it. I'm going to make it. I'm going to make it."

I didn't notice anything else going on around. The Tripod, the heat ray, the noise of the bridge as it creaked – all of them were pushed to the back of my mind as I egged myself on. If I had been cornered by the Tripod and hit by the heat ray, I wouldn't have noticed either coming.

I didn't even realise that I had made it across and was inside the tunnel. I kept running. It was only when the darkness surrounded me and I was a fair way into the tunnel that I realised that I was still alive. I slowed to a jog and looked around me. I couldn't see any of the group, and I didn't dare to call out because that would be really pushing my luck.

I couldn't see any sign of the Tripod at the end of the tunnel. I had no doubt in my mind that it was still lingering outside. Two things entered my mind as I jogged on: it would either fire the heat ray into the tunnel or try and grab at us with its tentacles. I didn't want to wait to find out, so I kept moving.

As I moved further along the tunnel I heard a sound behind me. It sounded like hundreds of rats screeching loudly at a high pitch and it was getting closer. I dared to look over my shoulder and I saw the dim lights of several tentacles crawling along the tunnel. I started to run again, determined that I was not going to get caught. As the screeching grew louder, I broke into another sprint, even though my legs were burning with exhaustion. I didn't even notice that the screeching sounds had lessened.

I stumbled on the track, almost falling. As I recomposed myself, I felt something on my shoulder and it made me jump. To my relief it was not a tentacle, but the shape of the man who had spoken to me earlier.

"Glad you made it," he whispered. "I thought you'd gone down with the bridge."

"I'm still alive, barely," I said, panting for air. "We'd better move. The tentacles-"

"They're withdrawing," he interrupted. I turned to look back and sure enough they were withdrawing. "I think we're too far along the tunnel for them to reach us. Either, way we need to move."

I found myself relaxing instantly. Once I caught my breath, I gestured that we walk. "Did everyone make it?" I asked.

The man shook his head. "A couple went down with the bridge and another got killed by the heat ray."

Trying not to think about it, I said, "We'll be coming up to another station soon. Maybe we'll be able to get out and get to somewhere safe."

"They'll have crossed the river by now. We might as well keep going until we reach the end of this tunnel," suggested the man. He had a point. If we tried to leave at the next station it could be game over for all of us.

"Alright," I said, "we'll keep going." We had caught up to the rest of the group at that point and we all walked together through the darkness.

The air in the tunnel was very humid. The darkness and the closeness of the walls made it very claustrophobic, but we kept moving. I talked to the man (whose name, I learned, was Tony) in whispers as we walked. He had just finished work and was on his way home when the attack started. He was as desperate as I was to find out if his loved ones were OK too.

We walked on until tired feet and weary spirits ordered us to rest. Resting against the walls of the tunnel, each of us drifted off to sleep. I must have been the last to doze off. My last thought was of my husband and how I wouldn't be sleeping comfortably and safely in his arms that night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Day Two**

I don't what time it was when I eventually woke up. I could have slept for hours or only for a few minutes. Either way, I still felt exhausted and extremely stiff. I'd never slept sitting up before, and resting against a concrete wall wasn't very comfortable. It was at that time that I truly began to appreciate my bed. Isn't it funny how little we appreciate such trivial little things until we don't have them anymore? Building on that thought, it occurred to me that I could say that about a lot of things. Public transport, pubs and supermarkets – the list went on. They would be all gone once the Tripods had them in sight.

It was very dark in tunnel, but my vision had adjusted to allow me to make out the shapes of the other people in the group. They all seemed to be asleep. Feeling the need to stretch my legs a bit, I decided to take a short walk down the tunnel.

I walked as quietly as I could around the sleeping bodies, trying not to wake anybody, walking in the direction that our group had been heading before we decided to stop. As I walked, I willed the stiffness to leave my body.

I thought about my husband again. Where would he be now? I wondered if the Tripods had reached the housing estate where we lived. I wondered if he had managed to escape. I wondered if he was still alive. It was then that my instincts told me to head for home. If he had escaped, perhaps he might have tried to leave some kind of message for me, telling me where he was in case I decided to go back to our house. It was a long shot, but I had to try.

Walking for a short while and completely lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice that I'd walked into a station until the light became a little better and it hurt my eyes.

The station was dark, but not as dark as the tunnel. A little bit of daylight was flooding in from the stairwell, which I thought that odd as I remembered that this particular station had two flights of stairs that you had to climb up before you got to the entrance and there were no windows. Curious, I climbed up onto the platform and then the first set of stairs onto the next level. I then saw the reason why daylight was getting in. The second set of stairs had been obliterated and there were gaping holes all over the place. The mass of destruction was incredible. There were no signs of life anywhere, and there was an eerie feeling in the air. I felt vulnerable and exposed and decided to head back down to the safety of the station

As I headed down the stairs to the platform, I heard the call of a Tripod. It seemed quite far away, but I didn't want to hang around to find out. I jumped back onto the train tracks and began running back to the group.

When I reached them, they were all awake and talking animatedly. It sounded like there was a fight going on.

"What's all the fuss about?" I asked.

A man in his late forties spoke, "I think we should stay where we are. We're safe here, and it's not as if those Tripods can get in here, and I'm not the only one who feels the same."

"So you're suggesting that we just stay here and wait for them to come and get us?" I recognised the voice as being that of Tony's. "All it would take would be for them to send a probe or even come down here themselves and we'd all be dead. Staying here would be a very bad idea."

"If we are hidden away there's less chance of us getting picked off by that heat ray of theirs," argued the man. His followers murmured in agreement. "We're fine where we are. If those things were going to investigate, they would have done it by now. We're safe here, until someone will eventually come and rescue us."

"What about food and water?" a woman piped in, clearly one of those who disagreed with him. "In case you hadn't noticed we seem to be lacking those basics. If we stay here, we'll starve to death before we're found."

"We can't count on being rescued," said Tony. "I think we should stay with our original plan and move on."

"Who made you the group leader?" said the man, "I don't remember anyone being elected leader, and if there was it certainly wouldn't have been you!"

There was more animated talking and someone even started crying. I took that as my cue to speak up, "Excuse me," I said calmly. I was ignored. "Excuse me!" I shouted at the top of my voice. The sound bounced off the walls and echoed down the tunnel. The arguing stopped and all eyes were on me. Although I hated that feeling of being watched, I continued, "I think we'd better keep moving. I went for a walk along the tracks. We're not too far from the next station. Once we get there, we can either plod on until we reach the end of the tunnel or try to get out at the station." I paused for breath and continued, "Either way we'd best keep moving. The truth is, they probably know that there are people hiding out in the train tunnels and they will begin searching down here sooner or later. If we stayed here we'd be sitting ducks. I'm going to move on. Sitting around here would be like strolling outside and saying to one of those Tripods 'please kill me now.' Those of you who want to come with me are welcome to, but if you want to stay put then go ahead. I'm not going deny myself any chance of survival."

Silence descended upon the group. I could tell they were thinking about what I'd said. I had to be brutally honest about what I thought. There was no point in sugar coating it.

After a couple more minutes I decided that I was going to head off, as it seemed pointless to stand about waiting for the group to come to a decision. I began walking back towards the station, stopping briefly to ask "Anyone coming?" There was a shuffle of feet and a few reluctant mumbles, but I could tell everyone was following me.

As we walked, Tony came up beside me.

"That was impressive how you handled that," he said to me. "Are you in the army or something?"

"No," I chuckled. "I work in a call centre, or rather I used to."

"Seriously," he asked with disbelief in his tone.

"Yep. The ability to deal with angry people comes with the territory,"

"I suppose it does," Tony laughed. There was silence between us for a couple of minutes then Tony spoke again, "Do you think we're going to make it?"

What a question to ask, I thought. The truth was that I didn't know the answer anymore than he did. I was hopeful that I might survive long enough to see my husband again, but deep down I doubted that the group would stay alive for very long once we got the end of the tunnel. It was a pessimistic view to take, but given what we'd all witnessed, things weren't looking too good for anybody. This was an invasion by beings with knowledge and technology that far surpassed our own. How could we stand up to that? Basically: we couldn't. The frightening truth was, these beings wouldn't stop until they'd killed every single one of us. It wasn't a question of would we survive, it was more like how long would we survive.

I didn't answer Tony's question. I couldn't. Instead we continued on in silence for a while until we reached the station.

The station was a bit brighter than before as more sunlight spilled down the stairwell. Nothing had changed in the station since my initial visit. There were still no signs of life, and wreckage covered everywhere.

Most of the group had decided that they wanted to try to get out through the entrance. I explained to them that they could if they wished, but be prepared for a bit of a shock when they got onto the second level. Amongst those who chose to leave was the argumentative man. This made me give an inward sigh of relief. I'd had a feeling that I would be arguing with that man again if we remained in the same company.

Before our group parted ways, we wished each other luck. That's all we could do, and luck was something that we could certainly use at that time.

Only three people remained with me- Tony and the teenage couple. They seemed to think that I knew what I was doing. I don't know where they got that idea from because I was as clueless as anyone else.

We learned the teenagers were called Melanie and Paul. They had been on their way to the cinema when the attack had happened. Like Tony and myself, they wanted to make sure that their loved ones were OK too.

It took us what I guessed to be an hour to walk through the tunnel to the end. We felt a blast of air first and as we rounded a corner, we could see daylight streaming through the end of the tunnel. The four of us began running towards it, our hopes lifted. We didn't consider that there would be Tripods outside. We were just so happy to see daylight again after such a long time in the dark.

As we approached the end of the tunnel we heard an almighty trumpet of a Tripod and we stopped as we saw the large foot of a Tripod slam down a few metres in front of the tunnel. We ran back into the shadows and flattened ourselves against the wall, sinking down to the ground. Another foot slammed down onto the ground in front of the first one, followed by a third. We watched as the Tripod walked forward a couple more paces before stopping. We couldn't see the main body of the Tripod. All we saw was its three legs standing perfectly still. The Tripod called out again and then it began making another noise that I'd never heard it make before. It sounded like two metallic surfaces clanking and sliding against one another, kind of like a knife against a knife sharpener but faster and heavier.

What I saw next will haunt me for as long as I live. I heard a high-pitched screaming getting closer and closer. I then saw one of the tentacles bringing something down to the ground. It was a girl who looked no older than about sixteen. In her arms she held on to what looked like a teddy bear. She was screaming and crying as she was dropped to the ground at the feet of the Tripod. My first instinct was to go out and grab her. I could tell that the same thought had crossed Tony's mind. Instead we stood frozen, our eyes fixed to the scene that was unfolding in front of us. The two teenagers looked away and I'm glad they did.

The girl tried to crawl away, but was held down by the tentacle. She was still screaming and begging for mercy when I saw a metallic tube with a sharp end descend from the body of the Tripod. The tentacle flipped the girl over onto her back and held her down as the metal tube plunged straight into her jugular. I watched in horror as the girl's cries ceased and were replaced by a loud gurgling sound. I could see the blood in her body being sucked out and flowing up the metal tube.

I couldn't take my eyes off the horrific scene before me. I tried to turn anyway, but I couldn't. I heard the cries of teenagers. They must have seen what was happening. I heard Tony murmuring under his breath "oh my God," over and over again. I felt physically sick. I staggered away from the wall, put my head between my knees and vomited. All I expelled was bile, as I hadn't eaten for a while. The acid burned my throat, making me feel worse. I vomited again as I heard the screams of another person being slaughtered reached my ears. I didn't turn round to look again. I just sat back on my heels and cried as all hope of ever seeing my husband again was drained out of me.

I heard the Tripod call again and turned to see the feet moving away from the tunnel. Two bodies lay broken in its wake. I looked to Tony and the teenagers. Melanie and Paul were crying softly whilst they held onto each other. Tony was staring intently at the corpses. His eyes were empty, his expression blank. He didn't move a muscle. He just sat staring.

"Tony," I asked, tearfully. "Tony?" I repeated. He remained silent and still.

After a short time, he slowly turned his face towards me and then he spoke, "They don't discriminate," he said. "Men, women, children – they kill them all. They don't discriminate. We're like bugs to them, bugs to be exterminated." The anger in his tone died, replaced by acceptance. "We're not going to make it. You don't think we're going to survive either," he said, "That's why you didn't answer me in the tunnel before.

"I … I…" I was trying to keep it together for the kids, but was failing miserably. I tried to speak, but Paul spoke first.

"We've just got to do the best we can. We can't give up, not just like that," he said. "Mel and I are going to try and find our families. They might be alive, or they might be dead, but we're going to try. Think about your families. Would they want you to give up? Would they?" His voice was challenging us. He took hold of Melanie's hand and guided her towards the tunnel entrance. He turned back to face and the last thing he said before they disappeared was directed at me, "If there's a chance to survive, let's take it. Didn't you say that earlier today?"

For someone who couldn't have been any older than fifteen, he certainly was wise beyond his years. His words brought Tony and I out of our mutual despair and made us consider what we had to do.

We sat side by side in the tunnel in silence and in deep thought. I knew what I had to do – stick to my plan and head home to find my husband.

I got to my feet and looked down at Tony. He was silent and as pale as the grave. "I know what I have to do," I told him. "I have to go home. Whether I get there or not doesn't matter, but I have to try. I'd rather risk death than hide away and wait for them to come and get me."

Tony never said a word. I knelt down in front of him and put my hand on his shoulder. "If this makes any sense at all to you, you'll do the same," I leant forward and kissed him on the forehead. "I wish you the best of luck." I stood upright and walked out of the tunnel cautiously. I turned back briefly to see Tony still sitting down. I hated to leave him like that, but I had to do what I had to do. He turned his head towards me and smiled softly. I smiled back before heading all the way out of the tunnel.

I avoided looking at the two dead bodies nearby. I knew that if I saw them I'd throw up again. I walked forward always on the lookout. I was in the open and exposed. If a Tripod spotted me now I'd be dead. There was a fallen telephone pole that had trashed through a garden fence. The house that the fence adjoined to was in ruins, but it would provide me with some cover whilst I decided on my next course of action. I took another look around before running over to it, and climbing up the pole. It wasn't too steep to climb. I dropped down into the garden and then ran for the space between the ruined house and the one next door to it.

From my hiding place, I could see the street on which the house stood. Many of the houses were ruined, but some were still intact. Cars were strewn about the road. Some were overturned and some were still upright, but with their windows smashed. I couldn't see any signs of life, but considering that here had been a Tripod here not long ago it was hardly surprising.

A crazy thought then occurred to me. What if I could take a car? It might work, I thought, remembering what the man on the train had told me about Electro Magnetic Pulse. I was sure that EMP only had a temporary effect. What the heck, I thought, I might as well try it.

I kept my wits about me as I searched the less damaged cars to see if anyone had left keys in the ignition. Eventually I found one. It was near the end of the street and was half in, half out of its driveway. Even the garage door of the house was still open. On closer inspection, I noticed that there was a door from the garage leading into the house. The house was still standing and I wondered if I could get any food from inside. I had already trespassed on the railway and was about to steal a car. Why not add burglary to my list of crimes?

I decided to check out the house for food, and then try the car. I walked into the garage and tried the door. It opened straight away and I stepped cautiously into the house and right into the room where I wanted to be – the kitchen. I headed straight for the cupboards and was greeted by the sight of food, glorious food! Whoever lived there must have had to leave in a hurry as the kitchen and cupboards looked undisturbed.

I found a sports bag under the table and dumped the contents out onto the floor. I then started putting as much food into as I could. I grabbed a loaf of white bread, several packets of crisps and two packets of digestive biscuits. I found a large bottle of mineral water in the fridge and took a long swig out of it before I placed it in the bag. I also found some various fruits and vegetables in a box in another cupboard and decided to take those with me too. Once I was sure that I had everything I wanted I headed back out the door and back to the car.

I opened the car door, threw the bag on the passenger seat and climbed into the drivers seat. I turned the key in the ignition. Nothing. I tried it again. Still nothing. I turned it a third time. If there had been a sound, it was drowned out by the sound of a Tripod nearby. I had to leave now. Grabbing the bag, I left the car and began running down the street. The noise rang out again and I ducked down between two cars as the Tripod walked down the railway line behind the houses. I prayed to God that Tony had gotten away from there in time. The Tripod then turned and walking away from me. I breathed a sigh relief before moving on again.

I drifted on from street to street, ducking and hiding every time I heard a Tripod. I saw two more that day, but neither encounter was a close shave. They had dominion over the city and its outlining suburbs and were just patrolling, on the lookout of any stray people who might be trying to escape. I didn't see any people on my journey. They were either dead or had evacuated the area. There were shreds of cloths littering the roads, pavements and lawns and the lengthy periods of silence were eerie. The whole world had stopped and I felt as if I was the last person alive on Earth.

I only stopped a couple of times to eat, drink and relieve myself. Sleep was the last thing on my mind, although I could have done with some.

I eventually found myself emerging onto the dual carriageway that led onto the road that would take me home. I kept to the edge of the road, hiding myself in the bushes and trees that grew alongside it. When I peeped out of my hiding place in the bushes to see if it would be safe to emerge, I saw vehicles, large army vehicles heading up the road towards me. I was going to ignore them and continue on, but then it occurred to me that these people might be evacuating civilians in the area and that they may have picked up my husband.

I jumped out onto the road and began waving my hands in the air to grab their attention. As the vehicles rolled past, they didn't seem to notice me. I called out to them and waved my hands at them again, making a huge fuss. A soldier passing on a vehicle shouted to me to calm down and told me that a vehicle would stop for me. I stopped jumping around and waited as patiently as I could. The last vehicle in the procession came to a stop next to me. It was an army wagon and two soldiers looked at me through the window. The one closest to me spoke, "Do you need a lift?"

I shook my head. "I've just come from that direction," I told him.

"We'll be turning round and heading towards the coast shortly. We're on the lookout for anybody who might need help," he explained to me.

"Where are the rest going?" I asked.

"They're going to mobilise with some other units and are going move on the Tripods in the city." He shook his head and said grimly, "I don't fancy their chances."

I nodded in agreement. "Bows and arrows against the lightning," I said.

The solider nodded and continued, "If you want a lift, get in. A lot of people seem to be heading for the coast and we've been ordered to evacuate as many people as possible. They haven't reached the coast yet, so people should be safe there for a while."

My face lit up with hope. Maybe they'd picked up my husband. "I'll hop on," I said, walking around to the back of the vehicle and climbing inside. There weren't many people inside the wagon – six including myself. Two had injuries, two were asleep, and the other was crying. There was no sign of my husband. I felt a bit down heartened, but the chances of him being picked up by the same truck were slim anyway. I sat myself down and looked around. I held onto the seat with one hand as the vehicle began to move. It turned around and headed down the dual carriageway, weaving through the standing traffic, towards the coast.

I decided to share the food I had stolen and opened up the sports bag. The bread, biscuits and water were passed around and I was rewarded with various pieces of news that my fellow travellers had picked up.

"America got the worst of it. The country is almost fully under the control of the Tripods," one of the injured men told me. "England isn't faring up too well either. London lies in ruins and hundreds of years of history have gone with it."

"The Prime Minister is currently in hiding," another man told me. "Rumours say that he is on some remote island in Scotland and running the country from there."

"There've been more lightning storms and more Tripods with them," a woman said. "I think the things that drive the machines come down in the lightning. It's some kind of transportation for them." That makes sense, I thought. The Tripods didn't start moving until after the lightning had struck.

"It all started in Europe. That's where the first lightning storms started. Why didn't they try to warn us what was coming? We might have been more prepared."

I asked the people in the wagon if any of them had come from my town or nearby. None of them did, but they did their best to reassure me that perhaps my husband had been evacuated and was also heading towards the coast. I was counting on that. Going home to search for any sign of him or any messages he might have left for me wasn't part of my survival plan anymore. I would do my best to locate him at the coast, even though I knew deep down that it would like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

I slumped back in my seat and closed my eyes, hoping to get in a short nap before we reached the coast.


	3. Chapter 3

**Day Three**

It had been late evening when the army truck had picked me up. The coast wasn't too far away from the place where I'd flagged them down. It wouldn't take any longer than twenty minutes to get there. Of course, I didn't take into account the huge amount of the traffic converging on the coastal roads. There wasn't just vehicle traffic, but human traffic too. There were hundreds and hundreds of people making a slow exodus towards temporary safety.

I parted company with the soldiers and my fellow passengers when the truck was forced to stop. I reckoned I could cover more ground on my feet, so I gathered up what food I had left and jumped off the truck, shouting my thanks to the soldiers and wishing luck to the other passengers.

I'd never before seen such a mass of people moving together. I walked along amongst them with no idea as to where I was going, but now when I think back I don't think any one else in the crowd knew either. We were following each other like sheep, or perhaps we were lambs going to the slaughter? The Tripods hadn't reached the coast, but they would eventually. A woman behind me said that it was an evacuation and the Armed Forces were trying to get as many civilians out of the country as possible. I doubted that it would be any safer in another country. The Tripods were everywhere, or so I had heard.

The streetlights still burned here. I asked a man in the crowd if he knew what time it was. He said that he didn't know, as his watch was broken. Looking at the sky, I guessed that it was well after seven o'clock at night. It was pitch black when I looked out to sea and with it being autumn; the nights were closing in earlier. In the opposite direction I could see the final rays of light of the sun disappearing below the horizon.

I walked on for a long time, conversing occasionally with the people around me and keeping my eyes open to see if I could spot anyone I knew.

It was cold and it was the first time that I noticed it. It hadn't been too cold in the train tunnel where I had spent the previous night, and even then I was too tired to care. Thinking of the train tunnel made me think of Tony, the man who I had met. I wondered where he was and how he was doing.

I cuddled myself as I walked, trying to keep myself warm. A mass of human bodies travelling together supplemented to my warmth, but it still didn't keep off the chill that was coming from the wind.

After a while the crowd came to walk past the Pleasure Beach – an array of fun fair attractions, sideshows, theatres and bingo halls built along a strip of beach. The lights glowed brightly against the night sky. There weren't any people riding the rides or using the amusements. At the doors of the bingo hall and theatre, I saw Paramedics, Police Officers and Army Personnel guiding injured people inside. They were using the buildings as field hospitals.

As I walked past I saw hundreds, if not thousands, of missing persons posters covering every inch of wall and fence with their pleas for help: "Have you seen this person", "Eve Stirling: Missing" and "Please help me find my Mummy and Daddy."

Suddenly an idea occurred to me - if my husband had been here at all, or any of my family for that matter, maybe they'd put up a poster for me. I broke away from the crowd and began to scan the posters, looking for my face, my husband's face or any face that I recognised. I walked along slowly, taking in as much detail as I could. There were so many people missing. The horrible truth was there was a big possibly that most of these people were probably dead. I know I should have been dead several times over since the Tripods began to move.

I came to the end of a fence without spotting anything remotely resembling myself, my husband or anybody I knew. I was elated, however, to find that there were more posters on a wooden fence by a nearby cliff, so I ran over to investigate. A few people were already there, doing the same as I.

I scanned the posters for a few more minutes and then I saw it. I could have recognised that my wedding photograph anywhere - my husband and I side-by-side, holding each other. I reached out and pulled the poster from the fence and cried with relief.

I read the text that was written in my husband's untidy scrawl. My name, my age and my last known location were on the poster, as well as the date that the poster was created. I looked at the date and realised that the poster had been placed there the previous day. If he was still here, waiting to be evacuated, then perhaps I would be able to find him much more easily than I expected. This built my hopes up. In my mind, he was alive and we would be together again soon.

My excitement was marred the second I heard the cry of the Tripod.

Upon hearing the sound the people around me scattered, running blindly from the advancing Tripods. I froze. I could see the Tripods coming closer and closer, their searchlights scanning the darkened land before them. The heat ray was not firing, but that did not make them any less terrifying. They were getting closer by the second and I had left my escape too late. If I had ran, I would probably have been picked off by the Heat Ray, or picked up by one of the Tripod's tentacles. I had no more options. I was cornered on a cliff edge and I could only run towards the Tripods and certain death, or go over the cliff.

Over the cliff! The idea hit me like a jackhammer - I would climb down onto the cliff face and hide there until the Tripods moved far enough away for me to make a getaway. I admit it was a foolhardy idea, but like I said, I had no other options open to me.

There were more flashes of light as the Tripods fired their Heat Rays into the fleeing crowds as I climbed over the wooden fence and carefully made my way towards the cliff edge. Shaking with fear, I turned around and began to climb down the cliff face backwards. The cliff face wasn't a straight drop, but more of a steep incline leading down to the beach. I could hear the waves washing up on the beach a hundred or so feet below me. I forced myself to concentrate on the cliff face and told myself to not look down. I knew that if I saw how far from solid ground I was, I'd lose my grip and fall to my death.

There was no light, except for the flashes above my head. One flash was close to the cliff edge, causing me to startle and nearly lose my grip. I dropped the bag that contained my food and water and I could hear it crashing down the cliff face speedily, coming to an abrupt stop at the bottom. I froze on the cliff face, my eyes filling with tears of fear. Above me I could hear the screams of panic, the elations of the Tripods and the awful fizz of the Heat Ray. These sounds combined with the gentle sound of the waves sweeping the shore and the wind whistling in my ears to form the horrific soundtrack of the night the Tripods took the coast.

The bodies and the clothes began falling over the cliff not long again. I heard the screams of men and women as they plunged over the cliff, probably from running blindly from the carnage. Tattered and torn rags fell at a steady pace, almost like rain. It made me shiver to think of the people who had been wearing those clothes at the time they were incinerated.

I estimated that was about a quarter of the way down the cliff face when I saw a Tripod striding up the beach. I began to panic, as I was totally exposed and almost level with the pod at the top of the gigantic legs. I had little doubt in my mind that I would be seen. I froze again hoping that with the dark clothing I was wearing I would be unnoticed. The Tripod strode straight past me, paying me no attention. I breathed a sigh of relief as I watched it walk away. Thank God I decided to wear black! I then noticed that it was pursuing some people who had escaped onto the sands. The Heat Ray flashed a few times, but I willed myself to look away and continue my descent.

I don't know how long I was on that cliff face. It took me a while to make myself move again. The noises above and below continued on and I couldn't help but listen to the morbid sounds as I continued my descent. My fingers ached from gripping the cliff face so tightly and my ears hurt from the wind whistling in my ears. By the time I got down to the beach (something I never thought I would manage and to this day still amazes me), the flashes of the Heat Ray had stopped and I could hear no sounds of moving Tripods. It was maddeningly silent, except for the sound of waves. I had no light to help me guide myself over the various rocks, as the moon was hidden by thick cloud. After much stumbling around in the dark, I gave up and found a place to sit down. I hadn't travelled very far from where I climbed down. I was very tired, sore and scared. I was afraid to sleep lest the Tripods come along and see me. I was sore from climbing and stumbling around in the dark.

I must have sat up that entire night, staring blankly at the ocean and waiting for the sun to come up. When dawn did come, despite feeling tired, stiff and cold, I had to move on. The Coast wasn't safe anymore. 'I don't think anywhere is safe anymore,' I told myself, as I forced myself to stand.

My body ached and I couldn't stop shaking from cold and terror. I noticed a couple of scrapes and tears in my trousers, and my hands were in bad shape. My nails were torn and bloody and the skin on my palms was scraped raw. I hadn't noticed the damage earlier, but now they were hurting. I had nothing to use as a bandage and rinsing them seawater would have been a stupid idea, so I tried my best to ignore the pain.

I walked along the beach in the direction that I had seen the Tripod go. The huge three-toed footprints were still embedded in the sand, but were being gently erased by the water. The sun was climbing higher in the sky. I had stopped trying to figure out what time it was whilst I sat up during the night. Time had no meaning anymore. It was an invention of man and civilization, and none of that existed anymore.

Mankind was on its knees at the mercy of the invaders. To them, Man was no more than a pest that needed to be exterminated. Thousands of years of life and history were being wiped out of existence and there was nothing that Man could do to stop it.

My hope was flailing. I had seen and experienced so much death and destruction in the past three days. I was more tired and scared that I had been before. 'Is everybody dead?' I wondered. 'Am I the last survivor?' Isolated on that beach, I truly felt like I was the last human being alive.

I walked on in a daze. If a Tripod had spotted me then, I think I would have offered myself to them. Anything would have been better than the loneliness and despair that I felt.

Eventually, I gave into my fear and grief and fell, exhausted, to my knees on the sands, the water splashing up against me and soaking through my trousers. I didn't care. I needed to cry, to scream, to do something to rid myself of those desperate feelings. I cried in a way that I have never I cried before. My sobs were full of despair and self-pity. I screamed and shouted like a mad woman. I thrashed about in the water, punching my fists into the sand and gripping onto clumps of it as if to ground myself, ignoring the searing pain caused by the salt in the water entering the cuts on my hands. I was in a terrible state, physically and emotionally. Survival wasn't what it was cracked up to be.

Exhausted from crying, I groggily clawed my way up the beach. I don't remember very much after that because it was then that my body decided to take control and I passed out. All I remember waking up on the beach some time later feeling very disorientated. Whilst I was gathering my bearings and bringing myself into a fully awake state, a voice whispered inside my head: "See you later, baby."

I was hearing words from a memory. It was the last thing that my husband said to me before I left to go out with my friends. I thought back again, remembering over and over the kiss that followed those words. In my life no kiss had ever been sweeter and more heart felt. It had only been a simple peck on the lips, but at that moment I treasured more than any other memory that I possessed.

It was the memory of that kiss that inspired me to continue on. It gave me hope. My husband was worth living for and I couldn't give up. I had come so far already.

I made myself get up and spurred on by the memory of my husband, I began walking along the beach, continuing on my journey.

Eventually I came to a stairway that led off the beach and onto a strip of road that ran along the coastline. When I got to the top of the stairs, I spotted an open doorway leading into a seaside café. As I approached I could see that the windows were smashed and the door had been kicked open. From this evidence, I guessed that people must have broken in to find food and to hide out. I peered through the windows and the café looked quiet and abandoned. I decided to go inside. I needed more sleep before I continued and if there was any food left, I wanted to get it.

I stepped carefully through the broken door, avoiding the splintered wood and broken glass. Glass shards cracked beneath my feet as I walked into the café. Most of the tables and chairs were still standing upright, save for a couple of overturned ones near the counter. As I approached the counter, the cash register was open and empty. There were coins scattered all over the floor, so it was clear to me that someone had robbed the place.

I headed into the kitchen and looked around. The kitchen had been ransacked. There were cupboards open, dishes smashed and pans all over the floor. As I carefully made my way around, I looked in the cupboards to see if I could spot any food. There was no sign of anything. The kitchen had been completely cleared out. Disheartened, I decided that I would see if the café had a pantry or stockroom, and if I found nothing there I would find something to bandage my hands and then find somewhere safe to sleep.

As luck would have it, I found a couple of tins of food in a little pantry at the back of the kitchen. They had been hidden away at the back and must have been missed. They weren't anything exciting. One was a tin of processed peas, and the other was a tin of mandarin orange segments. I took the tins into the kitchen and placed them on one of the counters. I then set about hunting for something to bandage my hands. I found the contents of the First Aid kit scattered on the floor near to the back door. Amongst the medical implements, there was some medicated wipes and some gauze, which I used to clean and wrap the wounds on my hands. With that task completed, I set about hunting a tin opener. I found one after much searching and opened the tin to feast on cold processed peas. I was so hungry I didn't care. I even drank down the juice that the peas were preserved in! I had considered opening the mandarin segments, but decided it would be best to leave them for when I woke up after a sleep.

Bandaged and fed, I went about catering to the other needs of my body. I used the toilet that was near the kitchen and gathered up tablecloths and spare linens to make myself a comfortable place to sleep. I thought it would be nice to sleep on something soft again. I made my bed on the pantry floor, closing the door behind me. I thought that I would be safe and undisturbed in there whilst I took a well-needed sleep.

What I didn't realise was that as I slept the invaders had begun cultivating our land, covering it with a slimy, red-coloured weed. In my exhaustion I didn't hear the noise of the machines as they worked outside the café, spraying the Earth with blood and hastening the growth of the Red Weed.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Days That Followed**

I was a little afraid to venture out of my hiding spot inside the pantry when I awoke the next morning. I could hear Tripods moving around outside and I didn't want to risk drawing attention to myself. I didn't know how long the Tripods had been there. They must have arrived when I was sleeping. With no windows in the pantry, I couldn't tell how close they were or how many there were. All I knew for certain was that I couldn't move on from the café until they had gone.

I remained seated on the pantry floor on my makeshift bed, listening. The clatter and clunk of the working machines was the only sound I could hear, and after a while it started to get on my nerves. The Tripods were too close for comfort. I was on edge and all I could think about was running away. I sat in a trance, my mind fixated on the sounds coming from outside.

Then, abruptly, the sound ceased, bringing me out of my reverie. I didn't like the sudden silence. It was eerie and suspicious. My curiosity getting the better of me, I decided to see what was going on outside.

Trembling, I opened the door as quietly as I could. I only opened it a crack at first so I could see if the coast was clear. I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, so I took the risk and stepped out of my hiding place. I went out into the kitchen and looked around. I saw through the kitchen window the legs of the Tripod standing very close to the café. Instinctively, I threw myself to the floor and lay perfectly still. The Tripod didn't move, nor did it make a sound. I crawled along the floor towards the window, wanting to get a better look. Once at the window, I could see another Tripod standing close to the other.

It was then that I received my first shock. Looking at the ground near to the Tripods, I saw masses and masses of red vegetation covering the ground. This was the first time I'd ever seen the Red Weed (as it came to be known) and I could see it creeping slowly along the ground, growing and expanding at an incredible speed. Some of it was crawling up the window.

Suddenly the clatter and clunk of the machines start again, making me gasp in surprise. I instantly covered my mouth with both hands, fearing that I had been heard. I began to crawl back towards the pantry, determined to stay in there until the Tripods had gone.

In my retreat, I took one final look out of the window and could see the Tripods spraying a red-coloured liquid over the ground. I suddenly thought back to the teenage girl that I had watched die at the hands of a Tripod only a couple of days ago. My breath quickened and I felt physically sick when I realised that the red-liquid was human blood.

I hastened back to the pantry and shut the door behind me as quietly as I'd opened it. I then curled up on my makeshift bed and lay there for a very long time, listening, thinking and praying until, eventually, I fell asleep.

I was trapped in that pantry for at least three days. The Tripods were relentless in their task, and each day the Red Weed grew steadily. On one occasion, I broke my vow to remain hidden in the pantry and ventured out of my hiding place to have a look. I saw that the Red Weed had started to grow through the broken windows and into the café.

I spent most of my time sleeping, as there was little else I could do. My dreams were my only escape from my imprisonment and isolation. I dreamt hazy dreams of my husband and my life before the war. My dreams stayed with when I was awake, making me laugh and cry. I was weak from a lack of food and water, and I felt myself sinking into a deep depression.

On the last day of my imprisonment, I was roused from sleep by the cries of the Tripods. I sat up and listened, staying as still as I could and holding my breath. I could hear the Tripods moving and my hopes were raised that they were finally leaving the area, meaning that I could escape.

Wanting to be cautious, I decided that I would stay where I was for a little while longer and then try to leave the café. I was impatient to leave, but I didn't want to risk going outside and being caught instantly by the Tripods.

When I eventually came to leave the pantry I had to tear through a thick tangle of Red Weed, as it had grown almost completely across the doorway. It felt slimy to the touch and I grimaced as I fought my way through the tangle. Luckily, I'd found a knife on the shelf in the pantry and used it to cut through. I found that furiously ripping through the alien vegetation was extremely therapeutic; a little bit of vengeance for my race.

I wandered through the kitchen, walking carefully over the carpet of red weed, and tearing at any that caused an obstacle to me. I checked the windows and could not see any Tripods outside, so I moved on into the dining room.

There was Red Weed everywhere – on the floor, crawling up the counter, over chairs and tables and dangling off the broken glass. Still being cautious, I looked through the windows again for any sign of the Tripods. Tucking the knife in my belt, I crept towards the door and looked out and around. It was clear, so I stepped outside. I inhaled the fresh air and felt instantly rejuvenated, and it wasn't long before I started back on my journey again. I began to walk along the road, heading inland. It was late afternoon I guessed, judging by the position of the sun in sky.

Red Weed clung to everything, crawling across the land and spilling out onto the beach. Even the sky was affected by it, as it tinted slightly red. I felt like I was on another planet. All was perfectly silent around me. I saw no people and heard no Tripods. I felt more alone than before, but I was grateful that I was no longer trapped in the café.

I walked along the road for a while, climbing a steady incline and heading towards a row of houses that stood alongside what used to be the main road. The houses looked abandoned and were almost swamped with Red Weed climbing up the walls. My only concern was finding some fresh water, as I needed it badly. I hadn't had anything proper to drink and my body was severely malnourished and dehydrated. I was finding it difficult to keep up a steady walking pace, but kept pushing myself to keep going. I felt like I had a very, very, bad hangover.

I decided to search the houses for water and food, as they would no doubt be empty. I came to the first house and I used the knife to cut through the weed that blocked the front door. I was disappointed to find that the door was locked, so I went to the house next door. The front door for that house was also locked. I tried the third house in the row. This time the door was open, so I went inside.

The house was cosy, homely and normal looking. It looked like it had been totally untouched by the war raging outside. The Red Weed hadn't managed to get inside and there was no sign of disturbance.

I went straight into the kitchen and found plenty of food and drink stashed in the cupboards. There was no running water, but plenty of milk and various fizzy drinks. I drank my fill of cola, burping loudly when I'd finished. I then raided the cupboards, finding and eating anything I could find. A dinner of biscuits, crisps, bread and even a little bit of peanut butter, followed by more cola.

After my meal, I decided to explore the house further, and I started by going upstairs. As I walked up the stairs I looked at the various pictures on the wall. They were photographs mainly. Some were wedding photos, some were photos of children, and some were family portraits. They made me think of my husband again, and of my family and friends – my Mum and Dad, Katrina, Scott and everyone else in my life who I cared about. I wondered where they all were and what they were doing. I hoped that they were safe.

I spotted a large, comfortable-looking double bed in the master bedroom and I suddenly felt very sleepy. I decided then that I would lie down for a little while. I hadn't slept in a real bed for days and felt that I deserved the luxury. I drew the curtains in case any Tripods came by and then collapsed on the bed, revelling in the comforts of normality. As I sank into the mattress and snuggled into the duvet and pillows, I smiled with content.

The next day I received a rude awakening by the wailing of a Tripod close by. I sat up in bed and listened to the cries. The cry was different from the normal elation. It was somewhat mournful, as if the creatures inside were in pain. The wailing continued on for a short time, before fading off.

I was in two minds of whether to stay put or flee. Staying put meant food and comfort for a short time. Fleeing meant running and I still didn't feel quite up to that. My body was still weak and sore. However, my mind was quickly made up for me as I heard a violent crash come from further down the road. The crash shook the entire house, making windows crack, ornaments fall off shelves and pictures fall off walls. I got off the bed and ran downstairs.

I went to the front door and peered out along the road in the direction of where the crash noise had come from. I saw, lying stretched across the road and on top of a couple of houses, a Tripod. Wondering what had happened, I went to take a closer look. It was against my better judgement, but I was deeply curious as to what could have possibly caused the mighty war machine to fall.

I approached the main body of the Tripod carefully, preparing myself to run in case it suddenly got back up. I got closer and closer, until I was standing only a couple of metres away. This was the closest I'd ever got to a Tripod and the sight of it was fascinating. I took in the details of the pod, the structure of the legs and the incredible alien markings on the side. I saw the stems on which was attached the Heat Ray. The Heat Ray, which I feared might still be active, wasn't glowing and, in fact, there was no sign of life coming from the Tripod. I moved closer, only to be stopped by a loud 'phist' sound, which was followed by the gushing of liquid. It was coming from the other side of the Tripod. I ran around to see what was happening.

When I reached the other side of the Tripod, I saw lying on the road, one of the aliens. It was panting for breath and on sight of me, it began crawling pathetically towards me. It looked sick. I stepped back in fear, but continued watching it.

The creature looked amphibian-like with grey, slimy looking skin. It had three legs and two small arms on its equally small body. The creature's large head was slightly raised and I could feel it's huge black eyes drilling into me. I stared at it and it stared right back. It then stopped crawling and lay still. I jumped as it cried out mournfully.

"Are you in pain?" I asked the creature, with venom in my voice. Watching the creature in pain and suffering gave me some kind of sick pleasure. Normally seeing another living being in pain would have derived some sympathy from me, but not for these creatures.

The creature cried out again, it's breathing laboured. We still stared at each other until suddenly the creature collapsed and lay perfectly still on the ground. It took me a few moments to realise that it was dead.

It was then that I realised that I needed to get as away from the Tripod as possible. I was afraid that others might come to pick up their fallen comrade. As I ran along the road, away from the fallen Tripod, several questions ran through my head such as "why did the Tripod crash?" and "how did that creature die?" As I passed a garden wall that was overcome by Red Weed, I noticed that most of the weed had turned white in colour. Out of curiosity, I touched it and it felt dry and brittle. As I snapped a branch off the plant, it crumbled slightly in my hand. The Red Weed was dying and I'd just watched one of the creature's die of some sort of illness. I was not certain about what was happening, but all evidence pointed out that it was affecting the invaders in a negative way.

As I ran further down the main road, I could see several military vehicles driving towards me. I stopped and waited for them to approach before flagging them down.

The lead truck stopped near me and the solider in the passenger seat rolled down his window to speak to me.

"Did you see that Tripod crash?" he asked.

I shook my head, "No, but I heard it. Do you know what's happening?"

"I don't, Miss," the solider said politely.

"I've just watched one of them die. It looked pretty sick to me. Whatever it is that's happening to them, it's affecting the Red Weed too," I told them, trying to be helpful.

"You saw one?" said the soldier surprised. I nodded in response. "Ugly bastards aren't they?"

I smiled, and then asked, "Can I hitch a ride?"

"It's too dangerous. You're better off where you are," said the soldier.

"It's dangerous wherever I go," I said, speaking the truth. "Let's face it: no one's been safe since those things appeared."

The soldier must have agreed with me because, after a short pause, he said, "All right then. Get in." He opened his door and held out his hand to help me onto the truck. I took it, wincing slightly at his grip on my injured hands. I pulled the door shut behind me and we set off.

"What happened to your hands?" he asked.

I looked down at my bandaged hands and chuckled. "I engaged in some amateur rock-climbing."

"I see," he answered. "Is it just you, or were you travelling with anyone else?"

"Just me," I said, sadly. "I came to the coast a couple of days ago looking for my husband, then the Tripods attacked. I escaped by climbing down a cliff onto the beach. I've been trapped in the pantry of a seaside café since then. I only escaped yesterday. I was squatting in one of the abandoned houses when I heard the crash."

"It's amazing what you have to do to survive, isn't it?" said the soldier who was driving.

"Tell me about it," I said. I'd walked along a train tunnel, broke into buildings, attempted to steal a car, stole food and drink, and squatted. I'd seen more action in the past week than I ever had in my life.

We reached the fallen Tripod in no time and parked up nearby. Some of the others soldiers headed off in another direction, whilst the rest approached the Tripod. I was advised to stay in the truck, but I ignored the advice and followed the soldiers to the place where I'd seen the creature. It was still lying in the exact same position where I'd left it. A soldier moved towards it cautiously and poked at the creature with the barrel of his gun. The creature didn't move.

"It's dead," he said, confirming what I already knew.

"But how?" asked a soldier.

"Some kind of illness perhaps?" suggested another.

"Take a look at this!" shouted a soldier from a short distance away. Some soldiers stayed near the Tripod, whilst the rest, including myself, ran to see what was the matter.

We came close to a cliff edge and looked over. There was another Tripod lying broken on the beach and three alien creatures lying dead on the sand.

There was something about seeing that second Tripod and those dead alien bodies that told me that it was all over. The war had come to a sudden end.


	5. Chapter 5

**Epilogue**

We still don't know who these invaders were or where they came from. Humanity was saved from extinction thanks to our microscopic friends, the bacterium, the viruses and the germs, that we have co-existed with on this planet for centuries. Those simple, tiny organisms brought down the invaders with their mere existence, when all the so-called great powers of humanity had failed. For all the might of the invaders, for all their weapons and all their ruthlessness, it was a common cold that destroyed them.

It's been almost six months since the invasion and life has returned to some normality. It will take a few years for us to rebuild and re-establish ourselves on this planet, but we persevere.

As for me, I'm rebuilding my life piece by piece too.

Following the discovery of several more collapsed Tripods and dead aliens, I was taken to an emergency shelter that had been set up in a school hall by the soldiers who had picked me up. I saw a doctor about my hands, received a good hot meal and a comfortable bed. Most importantly, people surrounded me. I wasn't alone anymore, which lifted my spirit considerably.

I stayed in that shelter for a couple of weeks before venturing out on my own. I located my parents. They had escaped into the northern parts of Scotland. Thanks to a search effort set up by the army and volunteers, I was even able to contact them. I sent them a simple telegram to the shelter in which they were staying. I told them, "I'm safe and I love you." Their reply was a simple one too – "We love you too. We'll see you soon." There didn't need to be any more words said than that.

I still haven't found my husband. I heard that some people escaped overseas, so perhaps when they return he will be amongst them. All I can do is hope.


End file.
